Nature of Serbia : holiday on the move - National Tourism ...

DJERDap & THE MOUNTAINS OF
eastern SERBIA
Mystery <strong>of</strong> space
National Park
DJERDAP
The Djerdap ‘Iron Gate’ Gorge has been
a challenge for thousands <strong>of</strong> years for
travellers, traders, warriors and peacemakers.
Its Iron Gate connects two important cultural
and economic parts <strong>of</strong> Europe, making
Djerdap a strategic place with enormous
importance, both in times <strong>of</strong> war and peace,
as witnessed by a large number <strong>of</strong> historical
monuments. Djerdap is the biggest river gorge
in Europe, created where the mighty Danube
broke through the Carpathian Mountains
and some 90 kilometres long. It is made up
<strong>of</strong> four gorges: Golubac, Gospodjin Vir –
which has a tourist centre at Lepenski Vir,
Kazan (the deepest stretch <strong>of</strong> the river at 90
metres) and Sipska, as well as three ravines:
Ljupkovska, Donja Milanovac Ravine and
Orsavska Ravine. Being such a powerful and
intensive centre <strong>of</strong> life from prehistoric times
to the present day has served to make Djerdap
National Park the largest in <strong>Serbia</strong>. This
protected area includes ten nature reserves,
ten sites <strong>of</strong> natural heritage, history and
beauty, with the great river passing Lepenski
Vir, Great and Small Strbac with Trajan's
Tablet, Golubac Fortress, the Bosman-
Sokolovac nature reserve, Coka Njalta with
Pesaca nature reserve, Bojana, Tatar Heights,
Mount Somrda, Ciganski (Gypsy) Stream and
Boljetin River Canyon – Greben Cape. The
Djerdap area has always been characterised by
an exceptional variety <strong>of</strong> wildlife, as evidenced
by the records <strong>of</strong> numerous travel writers.
Djerdap & the mountains <strong>of</strong> Eastern <strong>Serbia</strong>
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